L&C Hardtmuth Koh-I-Noor

[coffe_cup]

Dear PenLovers,

 

About 3 years ago I bought here in Poland Koh-I-Noor pencil which however

wasn't 'this' yellow (or not), simple Koh-I-Noor pencil probably the best

known on the World. It was similar (but not the same) to the Pelikan pencils

from lat 30'. I felt in love with the clip and the line. But to the point

... I was recently lucky to purchase three fountain pens of this almost

unknown (as a fountain pen manufacturer) company. These three are from

20'-30' period and I know L&C Hardtmuth will be an important part of my

collection. Two of them (sterling and green marble) are signed simply L&C

Hardtmuth, a black with incredible and beautiful huge ink-view is Koh-I-Noor

L&C Hardtmuth. I also find another one i a web, from 40's as it is more

'vacumatic's' in design. On the other hand a friend of mine, polish

collector told me he saw Hardtmuth's eyedropper dated c. 1910-1920. So I

presume Hardtmuth was in fountain pen business almost 40 years, and maybe

more. Probably it was only a small part of production and probably only in

one of their many plants located in many countries but .....

I've tried to find something about Hardtmuth f.pens manufacture but in vain.

Nothing in all my books - only the new Chronicle of The Fountain Pen

mentioned about this company but in connection with L.E Waterman (Hardtmuth

in London was distributor of Waterman's pens - 1900 than in 1912 the

contract was signed for worldwide distribution excluding North and South

America - the cooperation took their end at 1914 together with I WW and

according to the Thomas De LaRue marketing campaign against Hardtmuth).

I wonder if there is something in Andreas Lambrou's "F.P of the World" -

this is the only "bible" I don't have yet. I would appreciate information.

 

 

 

I found many information about the Hardtmuth family and their pencil

business but nothing about fountain pens. How could it possible? The Company

that is in writing business since 1790!! and operate till now. Really great

history which I would like to research more and will be very grateful for

any information esp. connected with fountain pen production.

As to the pens alone I am really impressed of its quality which in my

opinion are comparable with the best companies.

Sterling pen reminds me a little Waterman's 452 1/2 V Sheraton though is

bigger and with a clip. Think it's the same period. As to other 2 pens. Both

are similar to Pelikan 101N but yet different. The green marble is a plastic

button-filler, the black one - really impressive pen - made from celluloid

with bhr end cap. This is a piston filler with incredible see-through barrel

in red with black veins. Nibs in all three pens are 14K flexible and all are

signed L&C Hardtmuth, in black also Koh-I-Noor. I think this one is a "top"

pen, it will be natural consequence to use Koh-I-Noor mark for top quality

product as they did on pencils.

 

 

 

If anyone from you know anything about Hardtmuth fountain pen manufacture,

have ads, catalogs or are happy to have pens please contact me.

Thank you very much in advance and happy Philly hunting, sales and all the

best at all.

My very best regards,

Marta

[Gerry]

Nice pens. Really nice. I knew their technical pens well - used them often, but didn't know of their fountain pens.

 

Thanks for the photos.

 

Gerry

[coffe_cup]

Nice pens. Really nice. I knew their technical pens well - used them often, but didn't know of their fountain pens.

 

Thanks for the photos.

 

Gerry

 

 

One (on the middle picture) is a Pelikan, just to show similarity. Thank you Gerry for a kind words.

Marta

[Vintagepens]

I don't think Hardtmuth ever made pens on their own. Their size and connections allowed them to have other companies make pens to their specifications, instead. I've spent much less time pen-hunting in central Europe than I have in the UK, which is probably why most of the Hardtmuth pens I've had or seen appeared to be Waterman products from the eyedropper era.

[coffe_cup]

I don't think Hardtmuth ever made pens on their own. Their size and connections allowed them to have other companies make pens to their specifications, instead. I've spent much less time pen-hunting in central Europe than I have in the UK, which is probably why most of the Hardtmuth pens I've had or seen appeared to be Waterman products from the eyedropper era.

 

Thank you David,

 

This is an idea that would explain much - I've never came across any of their ad of fountain pens, on the contrary to the pencils but ... even if the sterling one might be considered as 'eyedropper era' and a little similar to the Waterman's sterling lines, the next two examples are more 'german' and at least 15 years older... and the gold, really highest quality nibs, why they took so many efforts to 'order' high quality pens without a big advertising campaign to sell them? It wasn't a small company, it had their plants in Czech, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, France and from 1919 in USA. They could afford promote fountain pens.

I found only one fountain pen patent dated to the 1939 and it's for a safety pen!!! and it's for Hardtmuth Germany.

It's really curious.

Anyway, I will keep looking and still much appreciated your opinions and facts.

 

My best,

Marta

[coffe_cup]

The news is I've just purchased a small catalog of Hardtmuth's fountain pens from around 30's. It's in german so I suppose 'The Bleistift Fabrik" in Germany was this only one that made or assemble fountain pens. I will post this catalog when it arrive.

 

[EenyBear]

 

QUOTE(Vintagepens @ Jan 29 2008, 07:31 PM) 495759[/snapback]

I don't think Hardtmuth ever made pens on their own. Their size and connections allowed them to have other companies make pens to their specifications, instead. I've spent much less time pen-hunting in central Europe than I have in the UK, which is probably why most of the Hardtmuth pens I've had or seen appeared to be Waterman products from the eyedropper era.

 

Thank you David,

 

This is an idea that would explain much - I've never came across any of their ad of fountain pens, on the contrary to the pencils but ... even if the sterling one might be considered as 'eyedropper era' and a little similar to the Waterman's sterling lines, the next two examples are more 'german' and at least 15 years older... and the gold, really highest quality nibs, why they took so many efforts to 'order' high quality pens without a big advertising campaign to sell them? It wasn't a small company, it had their plants in Czech, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, France and from 1919 in USA. They could afford promote fountain pens.

I found only one fountain pen patent dated to the 1939 and it's for a safety pen!!! and it's for Hardtmuth Germany.

It's really curious.

Anyway, I will keep looking and still much appreciated your opinions and facts.

 

My best,

Marta

 

 

 

Here is an ad clearly showing Waterman pens as sold by L.C. Hardtmuth in a London store.

Of course, they may have also had Waterman or others manufacture a "house brand" pen as may be the case above - given that pens are pictured with the Hardtmuth impression.

 

However, I have yet to learn anything substantial about in-house manufacturing of fine fountain pens. It would be interesting to learn more. (note that Koh-i-noor is one of the world's largest art supply vendors and they have several utility fountain pens available. Apples and oranges though...)

[Joan Sellabona]

Thank you for your L&C Hardtmuth Waterman story.

 

I have from my grandfather (and I am 73) a Waterman retractable fountain pen with an engraving half erased by years of use:

    PAT D 11684--------MAY 23 1899

    WATERMAN'S HDEAL FOUNTAIN-

    PEN N.Y. U.S.A. & AUG 4 1903

            SAFETY PEN

And on the clip mounted in the cap two engravings:

   FEROSILVER  (on the left side)

 

   L&C HARDTMUTH  (right side top)

       DEPOSE               (right side bottom)

 

The gold tip seems too new for the pen: SIGNATURE PEN

The body is red ebony.

The mechanics still working.

 

Do you know something about this pen, when and where it was produced?

 

 

[AAAndrew]

That's a nice, early Waterman Ideal Fountain Pen. I'm sure the Waterman collectors can tell you more. The clip, though, was often sold separately in these early years, and this was one made by Hardtmuth, but then just used on the Waterman pen. In other words, they were "married" after manufacturing. 

 

Nice early pen.